Layne McInelly

Neither publicly elected school boards nor state officials oversee private schools, leaving taxpayers without input, insight or recourse about how tax dollars are spent.

If we fail to protect our public schools and educators, the access and opportunity to a great education that we all take for granted could slip away.

Idaho school support staff, or classified workers, have  historically been among the lowest compensated employees in any field.

It seems that Idaho lawmakers are intentionally dismantling public education through underfunding of schools, canceling the voices of professional educators, and extremist grandstanding.

The Idaho Legislature is once again this session long on bluster but short on enacting policies that will benefit most Idahoans.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a system where educators are pulling double and triple duty with no increase in compensation and limited resources.

Big business would benefit from this legislation — Idaho schools would not.

If federal, state, and local officials are unwilling or unable to provide the resources and support to ensure that our schools can open safely, they should tap the brakes on reopening school buildings until circumstances have changed for the better.

It is worth remembering during this difficult situation that our most vulnerable students need us now more than ever.

Once again Idaho finds itself trying to fend off unnecessary challenges to the framework that provides knowledge benchmarks for our students and teachers.